My wife's grandparent's where coal miners in WV and are in their 90s now. The grown most of their own food and rely on no one for survival. If electricity went off tomorrow, they would just flip on the cesarean lamp. When I visit them, I always learn something new ( and I grew up in a small FL town ).
I think people who live in NYC and other large metropolises have other types of survival instincts, like knowing when someone is trying to con you or figuring out the best way of doing something with the resources at you immediate disposal. Its just a different perspective, based on the environment. Should modern civilization collapse, I think the smart city folks would quickly adapt to country living if they had to.
"They've grown most of their own food ..."
"... at your immediate disposal"